America and the Human Right (cartoon)

Human Right,reads the Arabic(Al jazeera)

Defying to the Israeli influence Al-jazeera faces Sanction

Al-jazeera , much hailed by the Israeli for breaking the taboo by making Arabs hear the Israeli view is facing a boycott for the recent Gaza live coverage.

Israel has announced a boycott of the Arabic broadcaster Al-Jazeera, accusing it of bias during coverage of the conflict in the Gaza Strip.

Recent Gaza slaughter which 130 Palestinians were killed ,66 of them children , was big shame and blow to Israel. It is only systematically sanitized coverage that the world watch no matter how bloody the Israeli incursion is, followed by spin . This is where Al-jazeera departed form the main stream media corporation, as it risks the lives of its reporters to cover where the missiles launched lands with the destruction and blood bathe it causes. On the top of this, the coverage is usually LIVE and from the front line. This is the last thing that Israel wants to be covered, that it now it gets its message straight to Al-jazeera: be FOX or GET OUT!!!

Israel is trying to "intimidate al-Jazeera to influence our coverage", Mr Omari Al jazeera senior reporter and office chief said.

"We are not the ones who launch rockets at Israel, and we are not the ones who send F-16s to bomb Gaza," he added.

Ethiopia: A plea to save two newspapers

After the police confiscated computers and printers followed by shunning of their printing press two newspapers are on the verge to suspend their job.

Al-quds and Salafiya newspapers editors were arrested for what The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) described as critical journalism, before they were released on bail of 20,000 Birr. The committee condemned the arrest and asked immediate return of the all confiscated equipments.

In interview made by Negashi radio (listen to Radio Negashi )with Alquds editor, Ato Izadin, and his wife Maria who have been arrested with her husband expressed the daunting challenges that they are facing to continue their job. Ato Izadin said the amount of the money they paid for bail is un-proportional and too much for them. The editors were accused for publishing a widely circulated letter allegedly written by Elias Redman, vice chairman of federal Islamic affairs to the security forces. In the letter Ato Elias calls the security forces to take action against all who oppose a new regulation issued by ministry of education (MOE) on religious practices in public and private education institutions. The new draft faced firm opposition by Muslims at home and abroad and branded it as un-constitutional. Elias Redman accuses in the letter the two newspapers for mobilizing the Muslims against the new draft which he has given his consensus and urges the withdrawal of their permission licenses.

Elias Redman denied that he had issued the letter, however all actions reported since then were according to the content of the letter. Beside their arrest and that of Harar, which was reported earlier, W/ro Maria said that the the security forces asked her to hand over the license by the security forces.

It is not the first time that Alquds editor, Ezadin, to be arrested .He has been arrested in December last year after an apparent order from Elias Redman. He was released after 6 days of detention without any charge.

The editors did not preach any law however, their follow up and criticism of manipulating Muslim affairs by individuals who are apparently after their personal interest at the expense of that of Muslim mass is what made them a target. It should be hailed that the judiciary system is showing some kind of independence that at least they were released though their full freedom has yet to be restored.

Realizing that bringing the editors to justice would not achieve the objective which is to silence the newspapers, new options are being opted. It is to make them pay a price for each and every plot they expose or any criticism that they direct to the corrupt individuals. Not only would this intimidate the editors but waste their valuable time in prison, not to mention the huge sum and hard conditions attached as a bail. On the top of this, the printing press has denied them to print their newspaper which is apparently due to pressure. This would double the newspapers` printing cost as they have to use private sect as Ato Ezadin said. The editors have already been at practically impossible stage to continue their service after their equipments were confiscated by security forces and the move by the printing press make the dream to black out these newspapers imminent.In fact one of the newspapers could not manage to appear so far according to CPJ.

Now it is time to all concerned bodies to save these newspapers. The editors, one of them with his wife, spent in prison for the sake of the truth that all Muslims need. They spent their time and resources for the sake of their readers. Apparently they did all they could and now onward they need their readers, those concerned with Muslims affairs and those who are for press freedom more than any time. Elias Redaman has the financial resources and exposure to media (local and international) that if the truth is with him he could have his message easily get through. Silencing others voices is cowardly and totalitarian act which should not be tolerated. Unfortunately this is what is happening.

Silencing these two newspapers would leave Muslims without any information of what is going on and what is being done in their name. Media is the most powerful weapon in the contemporary world.This is a test to Ethiopian muslims and in no way they should allow these newspapers perish so easily. Saving these two newspapers should be the top priority of all Ethiopian Muslims. Without them, it would be hard to hear of what is going on, including the MOE draft and other important issues. This is a peaceful way to bring down self appointed, selfish leaders who use the affairs of the ummah to personal end. We all Muslims, without exception, may not agree with the attitude of the newspapers nor do we take all their content as an absolute, but we should be UNITED against silencing them. If one doesn’t agree, the best way to address is by issuing a new newspaper and getting the “other opinion” get to the Muslims mass. Such diversity in the newspapers would be a treasure while circulating and exchanging opinions in a peaceful way is what we need and must be encouraged. However, clear message should be sent to those who want to silence the existing ones by making Muslims completely voiceless. The best message is to standby these newspapers so that they will continue their sevice.

Ethiopia: CPJ Condemns the recent arrest of muslim editors and publisher

[CPJ]The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the recent arrest and two-week imprisonment of three journalists from Muslim-oriented newspapers on criminal defamation charges in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Editor Ezedin Mohamed and Publisher Maria Kadim of Al Kidus and Editor Ibrahim Mohamed of Selefia were arrestedon February 16 and held for nearly two weeks. All three were released on February 29 on a bail of 20,000 Birr (US$2,127) each, Ezedin Mohamed said.

The editors and publisher were arrested for reprinting a letter that was purportedly written by Elias Redman, the vice president of the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council, according to the two editors and local news reports. Reprinted from the Web site Ethiopianmuslims, the letter criticized the minister of education’s proposed policy to ban school prayers at public education institutions.

Redman said the letter had not actually been written by him; he filed a complaint with the Addis Ababa police that said the two newspapers had damaged the council’s relations with the government, according to local journalists.

“CPJ condemns the criminal prosecution for defamation of these journalists,” said CPJ’s executive director Joel Simon. “Use of the criminal law is designed to muzzle critical journalism—those who believe they have been libeled can pursue a case in civil court. We call on the authorities to drop the prosecution immediately and return all equipment seized from the newspapers.”

The police confiscated computers and printers from both newspaper offices; none of the equipment has yet been returned, the editors told CPJ.

This is not the first time these publications have been arbitrarily targeted by the government. A day after the Muslim holiday of Eid Al-Adha, on December 21, police arrested and detained Ezedin Mohamed for six days without charge, he said.

According to local reports, the police have not finished their investigation into the current case and it has not been decided yet whether the court case will recommence. The editors say they are facing serious financial challenges due to what they say was an exorbitant bail price and the confiscated equipment. Al Kidus was able to continue publishing over the last few weeks while Selefia has not been able to produce an issue but hope to this week.

Committee to Protect Journalists

The Media and US Somali Strike

US has launched the third air strike to what is called `Al qaeda target`. The media intake and report of the incident was quite and reflect how they lost they neutrality. Most of the western media end up as a mouth peace to pentagon while only few give a context to the news. US air strike is controversial and since the invasion of Somalia US claims targeting `Al-qaeda`. No doubt , after 9/11 horror blaming `Al-qaeda` or linking an enemy to `Al-qaeda` is apparently the best way to win hearts and minds of those who may probe the mission. Many goverments have branded to brand their opponents as `terrorists` and trying how to link them to `Al-qaeda`. Iran has the Mujaahideen Al Khalq, PKK in Turkey, Spain its separatist movement, Karzai the Taliban, Ethiopia the ONLF.....and perhaps for US all it attacks is `Al-qaeda` or linked to it!!

Let us look how the US strike of `Al-qaeda` made the headlines.

US Bombs Islamist Town in Somalai (BBC)
US: Somalia strike targeted embassy bombing suspect Jerusalem Post
American attack targets al-Qa'eda in Somalia Telegraph.co.uk
US says al Qaeda was target of Somalia air strike Reuters

Dobley is located in a remote area that none of the news corporations have correspondence. Yet , they take what they are told as an absolute!! Some of them went as detail as to name the individuals. They are trying to justify the air strike as the attacker does , may be because some of them are directly funded by them while others in one or another not independent politically or financially.The following two headlines are from non-western media and let us wind up with it .

US Strikes Somali Resistance Meeting Islam Online
US warplanes target Somali town Al Jazeera